Post Treatment

I guess its about time I added another entry.  I was in Las Vegas for a wedding March 1.  When I git back Monday, March 3, I found that my gantry - G3 - was out of commission.  So I hit the phones and offices lobbying and getting the paperwork in place for two treatments on Tuesday.  y flight was leaving Tuesday at midnight for arrival Wednesday morning back in Syracuse.  God was good (isn't He always!) and it worked out.  I had a treatment at 7 a.m., finished packing, then went back to get another treatment at 2:30 p.m.

Randy, Lenita and Danny got together for super at The Cheesecake Factory at Victoria Gardens Mall.  They also took me to drop off my car and then drop me at Ontario Airport.  The flight went well.  I got into JFK, got off the plane, walked to the other gate and got right on the Syracuse bound plane!

I've been home now for about a month.  Everything is going well.  Flow restriction has eased.  Ther is occasional burning.  The biggest thing is that I need to get to bed earlier than I used to, otherwise I feel fatigued.  I really didn't feel it while I was at LLUMC.  Not sure why it is hitting me like this at home.  Beth thinks it is the after effects of the treatments.

I have my four month checkup scheduled - July 1, Canada Day.  Then its every six months for five years, then once a year.

I may add stuff here periodically. But, since I'm not much of a diary/journalling type, it will probably be at just at checkup times.

God bless all.

Hi All,

It was really good to have Beth down this past weekend.  She arrived at John Wayne airport this time.  It gave a more direct flight fro Syracuse, but she missed getting good Texas BBQ brisket at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport.

Friday morning after my treatment, we were able to get together with a long time friend -John Obenaus.  We hadn't seen each other in about 20 years.  It was good to see him and catch up.  He also just become a double grandfather.

We then headed down to Palm Springs for one night at the Palm Springs Hyatt Regency Suites.  Its a good thing that the rates were VERY reasonable as it was showing some wear-and-tear.

For supper, we went to a wonderful Austrian place called "Johannes". Exquisitely outstanding food!  Sabbath morning, we were dragged out of bed  before sunrise so we could have a sunrise/Valentines Day/Birthday hot air balloon ride.  The photos below are from the balloon ride.  From left to right and top to bottom - an olive grove with an olive press in the middle.  There are 2 rows of orange trees around the perimeter; looking back at the other balloon with the shadow of our balloon; In the basket with the balloon up before takeoff; after the flight with the pilot.

After the flight, we asked the pilot where to get breakfast.  He dropped us off at Sherman's New York Kosher Style Delicatesen and Bakery where we enjoyed a marvelous breakfast.

It was a wonderful weekend. Thank you Beth.

Nethercutt Museum

Hi All,

Here is a sampling of cars seen at the Nethercutt museum in Los Angeles - '05 Franklin, hood ornament from a '25 Franklin, a '31 Bugatti Coupe, a '33 Franklin Club Broughm, a '36 Duesenburg Supercharged Coupe, a '37 Talbot Lago (France). An incredible collection.  This Thursday we'll go to see the Nethercutt Collection. We were lucky to get an appointment.

Treatments are going well. No equipment breakdowns lately (hope I haven't jinxed it!:).  Had treatment #35 today, so I'm well on the down slope.  I'll have to come back to Loma Linda after Erin Allred's wedding in Las Vegas, so I'll  not be able to go home with Beth and the girls.  We're all disappointed.

God bless,

Fred

Graphic Medical Instruments

Hi All,

LAst week was a bit of a wash.  Missed two treatment as a result of equipment breakdown.  The low dose X-ray used for body alignment was at the core of the problem and had to be completely rebuilt.  I went on the behind-the-scenes tour and have an even greater appreciation for the complexity and sophistication of the equipment used.  In the research lab, a team from NASA and LLU are looking for ways to protect the astronauts in the space station, in their EV suits and eventually on the moon and Mars from proton radiation in Space.  This radiation come from solar flares from the sun. So, the was for the American space travel to the moon and later to MArs will pass thru LLUMC Proton Center!

Alright, to the pictures:

#1: This is photo of the balloon apparatus that I look forward to each morning!:)  At the business end is a pediatric enema "Needle".  This is wrapped with a rubber sonography cover - the balloon.  A plastic tube leads back to a 60 cc (60 ml) syringe filled with water. This is used to inject into and withdraw the water from the balloon.

#2: this is at one of the Wdnesday eveing support meetings.  On the left is Dr.Lynn Martel looking on while while his assistant, Patty, makes some announcements.

#3: P-40N Warhawk WW II fighter/bomber used extensively in the Far East

#4: P-38L WW II fighter - one of very few twin engined models. This one was modified for recon

#5: Fokker Dr.1 Driedecker (Fokker triplane)  German WW I fighter made famous by the "Red Baron", Baron Manfred Von Richthofen.

God bless to all,

Fred

Redlands Country Club

Hi All,

What a gorgeous day today. Sorry to those of you in Syracuse with all those gray days. 

I got together with several other Proton guys and went over to the Redlands Country Club where they are members. It was a great day for being outdoors.  As usual, there were sufficient good swings to keep one going from hole to hole.

Unfortunately, G3 was down again today. It was on the X-Ray side.  The X-Ray is to help align the body with the beam. So I missed another treatment today.  That makes 3 treatments missed in the past 5 treatment days.  It is quite frustrating.

To the photos(from left tot right):

#1 - I'm on the 10th tee;

#2 - view from the 8th green;

#3 - Dave from PA teeing off;

#4 - teeing off on 4th hole - not the best form.

God bless,

Fred

Cars

Hi All,

Well, this morning was interesting.  I had my treatment appointment at 8:00 am. Didn't get in until 11:00.  Equipment failure.  I am just glad that I didn't get cancelled again.

Played racketball yesterday.  My goodness! by the time the second game ended, I was so winded I about passed out.  I'm stiff and sore all over.

About the photos:

The first one is of a 1957 BMW Isseta.  This is a very small car!  It is classed as a micro car.  The front of the car is also the door.

The second photo is of a 1927 Model 10C Franklin.  This is a car that was built right in SYracuse, NY.

The third is a mockup of McQueen of the movie, "CARS".

The fourth is of a Norton Manx, a 500cc vertical twin that was and is often used for racing.

God bless,

Fred

Rain, Rain, Rain

Hi All,

What a month January has been!  We had 3" more rain than Seattle, Washington!  The area has been parched for several years and really needs the moisture. Of course, when it rains in the valleys, it snows in the mountains, especially above 4000 ft. (1,233 M).  The area is now 122% above normal, which is also a good thing for the coming summer.  However, the area homeowners are still asked to reduce or eliminate lawn sprinkler usage.

I finally got around to doing one of the "other" things on my list.  A couple from Calgary, Alberta and I went into Los Angeles yesterday to take in the Peterson Automotive Museum. Peterson is the man who began the automotive, truck and motorcycle magazine publishing empire here in LA.

Our treatment gantry (G3) had technical difficulties, so we didn't get away as soon as we would have liked, so when we got into town, we were hungry.  And what better place to take care of that hunger than Marie Callender's restaraunt on Wiltshire Ave. It was warm enought o sit out front in the sunshine.  A bonus, was that he Le Brea Tar Pits were directly across the street. So we went over and checked it out.  There is museum on site that has many of the skeletal remains including Saber-Toothed cats, Mastedons, Dire Wolves, Lions,  and others.  We didn't go in because we were there to see CARS!

And we were not disappointed.  Right before the entry was Art Arfons "Green Monster" (now no longer green, but red) that held the world speed record three different time, the last two times for only eight days each time.  The last record was 650 MPH (1040 KPH).

I as going to tell of some of the other cars here too, but the photo uploading feature is refusing to work, so I'll do that next time.

I completed treatment # 26 today.  I was canceled earlier this week.  G3 had gone down( the X-ray software was malfunctioning).  My appointment was for 7:45.  By 10:00 am I was still waiting.  When they get that backed up, then they begin to cancel patients because they don't want to pass a backlog on to the next shift (3:00 pm). I figured that I would cal back in the afternoon about 4:00 pm to see if they could fit me in.  WELL, I called and the software was malfunctioning again and they were already 1.5 hrs. behind and would be running until 11:00 pm, an hr. after they normally stopped.  I have virtually no side effects - a little burning at urination, but other wise I'm good.  Hit a bucket of balls this morning, back a little sore.  But the swing is slooowly improving.  Just needs to be lot more consistent.

I wish a HAPPY SABBATH to all.

Fred